Performance Management and Evaluation Services

CCSI works closely with our customers to develop meaningful measures of performance,establish efficient processes to collect essential data andobjectively assess program outcomes. We help clients interpret and use this information proactively to maximize performance through data-driven decision making. Our staff has expertise in research methods, design and analysis necessary to meet the rigorous requirements of federal, state and local funders. We have years of experience supporting the practical and applied use of data in day-to-day performance measurement and management, developing dynamic program evaluationandcontinuous quality improvement processes to make and sustain progress.

Do you have questions for our team?

David Eckert, LMHC,NCC,CRC

Senior Consultant, The Center for Collaboration in Community Health

Questions about using data to support continuous practice improvement?
Connect with David Eckert, Email David Eckert
(585) 753-2880

Mr. Eckert is a nationally certified counselor, a certified rehabilitation counselor and a licensed mental health counselor in New York State. He has over 26 years of experience in a variety of clinical settings...Read More

Dr. O’Connor recently joined the CCSI team to help develop and expand services for child-serving organizations and to contribute to the growing research and development initiatives of the...Read More

Examples of Our Work

Our staff have designed and conducted several program evaluations that have been county and federally funded. We value a participatory evaluation approach, meaning that our evaluations are developed and implemented hand-in-hand with our customers and their stakeholders. We also emphasize sustainability and continuous quality improvement from start to finish, encouraging our customers to embed program evaluation into their infrastructure. Therefore, program evaluation is not a short-lived process; rather, it is ongoing beyond our work with customers. Examples of our work are as follows:

Program Evaluation and Continuous Quality Improvement in Child Welfare Services

Our team is currently evaluating three child welfare systems changes. We have designed and are currently implementing a multi-year process, cost, and impact evaluation of a data-driven decision making approach for children in out-of-home care. A key component of this evaluation is a continuous quality improvement approach to reviewing data on screenings and assessments conducted on all children in care to ensure appropriate linkage to behavioral health services. We also are evaluating an expansion of in-home services to all children served by a child welfare department. These services and the evaluation are part of the Federal Title IV-E Waiver Demonstration projects. Our team is working diligently with the child welfare department and its contracted agencies to examine outcomes on an ongoing basis, such as improvement in family functioning and recidivism with Child Protective Services. Further, our team has engaged a child welfare department in a multi-year evaluation of Family Assessment Response/Differential Response. We have continued to assess progress of differential response as it has grown from one team to multiple teams, allowing child welfare administrators to examine the success of differential response as an alternative to traditional Child Protective Services when appropriate.

Cross Systems Approach to Serving Families with Multiple Needs

Our program evaluations often involve integrating data from more than one system. We currently are evaluating an approach that serves families who are involved in three major systems: public assistance, child welfare, and public mental health. Our team has worked with administrators and technology staff from the three departments to develop a seamless evaluation of the cross-systems approach. Reports have been developed that include outcomes from all three departments allowing the integrated team to assess progress for families across systems.

Program Evaluation in Children’s Behavioral Health Services

Our team has provided evaluation support on two Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grants. One of the main products of these evaluations has been the identification of meaningful data to assess changes in access to and progress in behavioral health services. We have created reports that are user-friendly and can be shared across stakeholder groups.

Staff Training Evaluations

We believe that trainings can provide essential knowledge and development for staff. We further believe that evaluations of staff trainings can provide key insight into the extent to which staff have gained knowledge from the training, are ready to use the training, and down the line, have utilized the knowledge in their work. We have assisted our customers in uncovering ways to support staff in implementation of knowledge gained from staff trainings, thereby maximizing the benefits and applicability of training efforts.

Performance Management and Evaluation Services Webinars

Data Driven Decision Making in Children’s Services

Led by Dr. Briannon O’Connor, this session provided background information about the quality measures required by New York State, as well as practical strategies for the effective use of data commonly collected by children’s mental health providers. In this era of change in our health care system, being able to use data effectively to inform decisions and to quantify and improve outcomes is becoming increasingly critical.

Senior Consultants from the Center discussed the key steps to implementing a Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) approach in health and human services organizations, as well as the benefits of effective CQI, including the value provided to the individuals served.

Customer testimonials

“The CCSI team has been great to work with. They have helped our system to embrace evaluation because they connect the language of evaluation with day to day practice. CCSI assists us with obtaining the data we need to move our system forward.”
Marie Morilus-Black
Deputy Director Well Being
District of Columbia, Child and Family Services

“Our work with CCSI helped us prepare for our local DSRIP planning efforts and has really helped make us a more relevant contributor to these conversations.”
Dr. Mark Herceg
Commissioner of Community Mental Health, Westchester County